Tainted
by Tears of Eternity
Summary: The redness slowly came off, tainting the clear water. Slowly, she backed away in horror. The water was running red. It was running blood."


**Tainted**

Disclaimer: don't own it.

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_Who suffers more?_

_The one leaving?___

_Or the one left behind?_

****

****

**_Stop. Make it go away._**

She scrubbed frantically at her hands.

_//Covered with blood, drenched in crimson glory. She lifted the twin blades, her eyes cold, unyielding. _

_"Please," the dying woman begged, her eyes full of tears, "spare him. He is only a child."_

_And for a moment, did something human flicker in those unremorseful eyes? Did a touch of regret tinge those silver depths?//_

The redness slowly came off, tainting the clear water. Slowly, she backed away in horror. The water was running red. It was running blood.

**_Nonononono_****__**

_//A flash of silver in the dark.__ Red death pouring over her hands. _

_"No! Mama!"_

_Another distinct flicker of metal.___

_Silence reigned.//_

She blinked and the water returned to its normal crystalline color. Hesitantly, she put her hands under it again, and in a sudden flurry of motion, began scrubbing at them again. 

The water became pink, then clear once again as all of the scarlet was washed off. 

**_No matter how hard you wash…you can't wash your mind…you can't wash you heart…you can't wash your soul…_**

She did not seem to notice.

Feverishly, she continued scrubbing at her hands. 

**_Tainted, tainted…tainted by the blood of the innocent…_**

The bandages around her left arm slipped loose, the stark whiteness falling to trail in the continuous stream of water. 

And still she scrubbed, scrubbed until her hands were raw and red, until her skin began to peel away…until once again, the water ran red.

**_Red…am I bleeding? No, no, no…I have to keep washing. I'm not clean. I'm dirty. I'm unclean…_**

****

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded in the hallway next to the washroom. Pieces of broken plates littered the floor. "Kami-sama…" the woman who had been holding the dishes breathed as she watched the water run deep red as the young woman inside scrubbed away the skin of her hands. 

**_No, no, no…I have to atone for this…How do I atone for this? How? How do I repay the blood I spilled?_**

The woman rushed in, her eyes wide. She grabbed the other girl's wrists, preventing her from destroying her hands even more. "Kyoko! Yameru!"

"No, no, no!" the young girl cried out. "I can't, Mine! I must cleanse myself! I have to get rid of it!" She wrenched her hands away from the older woman, reaching frantically for the stream of water.

Cursing softly to herself, Mine grabbed the girl's wrists again, gently but firmly pulling them away from the steady stream of water. "Kyoko," she said softly, in a motherly tone, "you must stop this right now. Your bandages are coming undone." 

With a sudden, frightened glance at Mine, Kyoko pulled away once again, this time to quickly tuck in the ends of the bandages around her left arm, staining the pure white red as she touched them with her blood-covered hands. For the millionth time, Mine wondered what horrible secret Kyoko was hiding under those bandages. She was always so secretive about them, snapping at anyone who pried.

"Mine…I stopped her with—" the young woman whispered, breaking off. And then, as if all the strength had left her, she sank down onto the floor. Mine sat down with her, taking the seemingly fragile form into her arms.

"Shh…Kyoko…just cry it out, just cry…" 

The young woman's chest heaved with sobs.

But not one tear rolled down her cheek.

_Ah, Kyoko…_Mine thought sadly as the girl grieved in her arms, _why do they keep doing this to you? Why do you keep doing this to yourself?_

Unnoticed by either person, the stream of washing water continued flowing, slowly, steadily. 

_…And the stars cried tears of gold_

_The wind keened its anguish_

_And the earth wept…_

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O_O  hmm…very spontaneous…tell me what you thought…I'll probably continue this fic. Lots of Kenshin n Friends to come ^_^     Ack…not really sure how the timeline's going to fit yet…if anyone can help me with that, I'd be grateful!

Mini-Dictionary:

Kami-sama: God

Yameru: stop

Sorry if I completely screwed up the Japanese words…ooh and Mine and Kyoko are names in case you're a newbie. Well please review!


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